Ice Drop tutorial

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Pineapple Parfait is a beautiful bright yellow, although it looks more gold in this picture. I had thread left on my shuttles, and this seemed the perfect pattern for using up that thread.

I know I won't have much time for tatting this week. Daughter Carol is running a middle school drama club camp, and I'll be helping her out. She's planning a summer showcase the end of July, and I'm going to be in it! This will be my first time in a drama production. I am very excited!

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a long time know the story...

Back in high school, a new girl in the neighborhood tatted a cross for me as a thank you gift. I still have it in the house, someplace really, really safe! ;-)

For 20 years I tried off and on to learn to tat from a book with no success. Then one day, Denise called me and told me that she had learned to tat in 20 minutes from a video. She lent the video to me, and the rest is history!

I was very excited to see this picture on Pinterest, so I printed the picture and began searching for the pattern. I discovered that this is an old Workbasket pattern, and some day I'll take the time to search for the December 1958 issue that I believe holds this pattern.

I've tatted this pattern before, using the original cross as my pattern. However, I really wanted to find the original pattern. There is an Etsy shop that sells a reprint of the pattern for $3.99, but I was sure I had seen the pattern, or something similar, somewhere else.

Sure enough, there's a free pattern from Becky Dempsey, dated 2002! My stitch count on the rings is different from Becky's. Her rings are 8-8. Mine are 6-2-6... such a minor difference!

I need to decide on a tassel for this cross. It is a gift for Rachel, who is going to try her hand at blinging some of my tatting shuttles. She creates fabulous nail art, and she has decorated cell phone and camera cases. I'm really looking forward to seeing her creations! Rachel is a former student of mine, as well as a friend of my oldest daughter, Alison. I now teach Rachel's children in school, but I will be retired before her grandchildren are born! ;-)

I had an unexpected parcel in the mail yesterday... a tatting gift from Fox! She knows my weakness for shuttles, and she sent me two that she was sure I'd enjoy. She is so right! I do own two of these shuttles that I have never taken out of their original packaging. They were a gift from my son-in-law's father, who lives in Slovakia. I am thrilled that I will be able to tat with these little beauties and still have a set in the original packaging! Thank you Fox!

I guess it's time to get on with my day... so much to do, so little time to tat!

Friday, April 26, 2013

The Online Tatting Class featured "Sonnenschein" from Happy Occhi by Petra Tornack-Zimmerman. This is a beautiful little pattern that I totally messed up!

First, I didn't follow the pattern. I looked at the diagram and thought... oh, I get this! When I was well into the design, I looked at the beginning of the pattern and saw that I was supposed to start with a chain. Oops! I started with a ring!

I'm not sure if that mistake led to the angular chains or not, but I know that I will re-tat this piece following the directions! I hope my second attempt looks more like Petra's sample!

The thread is size 20 Lizbeth, Pineapple Parfait #170.

Georgia posted that this book will be available in English. Frivole, did you see that it's a book of square motifs? Right up your alley!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

I'm really enjoying Round VII of Doily VI from Tatted Treasures by Jan Stawasz. The pattern repeat is really fairly simple, although I do keep my copy of the pattern close at hand so that I don't make any mistakes. ;-)

Monday, April 22, 2013

I haven't had Internet access since Wednesday night. It took the technician two hours to find the problem... chewed wires under the porch. Darned critters! We have rabbits everywhere, and who knows what else. Darned critters!

I've found that when I don't have Internet access, I have a tough time staying focused with my tatting. I guess it's because I can't share what I've been doing with all my tatting buddies!

I've started Round VII of Doily VI from Tatted Treasures by Jan Stawasz. It's not quite as simple as I thought it would be, but it's not difficult either. I just need to follow the pattern. I'm sure I'll have it memorized by the tenth pattern repeat. ;-)

I needed to find something simple to tat, so I pulled this book off the shelf. I checked the copyright date (a librarian thing I guess), and I was surprised to see that this book is from 1994.

This is 34. Tatted Edging 1405-34T. The pattern is on page 22. I became bored with this pattern very quickly. I think that's partly because I'm not fond of lengths of bare thread in tatting.

I much prefer this pattern, 35. Tatted Edging 1405-35T. I'm not sure what I'll use it for yet, but I love the color, and I'm using up thread on a shuttle, always a plus!

Now do I check my 53 spam messages to see if they're really spam? I guess I should go through the 78 email messages that didn't go to my phone for some reason. I'm not sure I have time to go back and read the 172 blog posts I missed.

I haven't been ignoring you, dear tatting friends. It's the fault of those darned critters!

Monday, April 15, 2013

I've been waiting for a special package from Janemactats, but it turned out to be far more special than I ever expected!

First, when I opened the package I found a gorgeous pair of knit gloves. Aren't they wonderful? They fit like, well, a glove! I had trouble taking a picture of both hands, but trust me, they fit perfectly!

Next, I found this beautiful Celtic bookmark. I love the contrasting colors. Who knows, I may even be inspired to try this some day!

Can you believe that Jane tatted a shuttle bag for me? It's even in my favorite color, blue!

Now here is what I was really expecting... my very own silver shuttle with my initials engraved in it! Do you remember Jane blogging about her shuttle? Well I contacted her, and her wonderful husband arranged for the jeweler to make one for me! The price was, as Jane warned me, "eye-watering."

However, the weight is perfect. The silver is gorgeous, and the jeweler did a fantastic job! I can hardly wait to start tatting! It won't happen tonight, though. I have a school board meeting to attend. Sigh! Maybe when I get home.

Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! I finished Round VI (from Tatted Treasures by Jan Stawasz) last night, and I love the way this doily is looking! I'm so happy with Latte Foam (size 20 Lizbeth #168) for this project. It may be difficult to see in the picture, but the thread looks tea-dyed, something I have never tried and never plan on trying. Why should I when this beautiful thread is available?

Margaret asked for a close-up of Grandfather Clock, so...

front,

back,

one side,

and the other. Carol aka Battatter has told me I can do this. I'm a bit skeptical. I don't think I have the imagination for it, but some day I'll probably get the urge to try, then look out!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

The Lafayette Lacemakers held their Indiana Lace Day today, and Denise and I headed out early this morning! Well, we thought it was early. We forgot that even though Lafayette is only an hour and a half away, they're in a different time zone!

Before we did anything else, we chatted with two friends we made at previous Lace Days, Carol and Carolyn. Unfortunately, I never thought to take even one picture! So, you only get to see pictures that I took after I arrived home.

Let me tell you, I am the luckiest girl alive!

Way back in January, Battatter asked what we would like to see in 3D tatting. In case you didn't know, she does fabulous 3D tatting. Her bats are unbelievable! Anyway, I replied that I would like to see a grandfather clock. I love grandfather clocks... it's kind of a family thing. I was so surprised when she gave me my very own 3D grandfather clock today!

Do you recognize the face? It's Grandfather Clock from Captain Kangaroo! Grandfather Clock was my favorite character! Thank you, Carol! This will be my most treasured tatting gift forever!

Oh, and do you see the pretty blue origami pouch in the background? I won it! It was made by another dear tatting friend, Lelia from Stitches of Life II.

...and it was stuffed with goodies! I wish you could have been there, Lelia. It was a great day, and now I have one of your origami pouches!

Yes, there was some retail therapy today... tatting shuttles, thread, books, patterns, bobbins... but I'll save all that for another post. I wouldn't want you to be too jealous of all the fun we had!

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

It seems I'm falling behind in everything! Yes, I have excuses, but who wants to hear excuses? Let's talk about fun stuff!

This weekend we drove to Minnesota to meet our newest granddaughter, Sophia. Isn't she a sweetie? She's wearing a sweater that her Great-grandma Green (my mom) knit for her. Mom was afraid it wouldn't fit for long, but Sophia will be wearing this one for a while. She's so tiny!

I received this book in the mail, and it is wonderful! The illustrations are well done, and it came with a tatted bookmark. I can't remember who posted about purchasing one motif, but I decided to purchase the whole book here. I'm glad I did!

I'm still working on my niece's hanky. It's going slowly, because I've restarted attaching the edging several times. Thanks to Frivole, I think I am finally getting it right!

Monday, April 1, 2013

Yes, I did get some tatting done today, quite a bit in fact. I only have ten pattern repeats left on the hanky edging... great progress for me!

My new Zoom Loom arrived today, and I really like it. Do you see the little notch at the bottom left? This may be the best part of the loom... no need for a starting knot! I misunderstood the description of the loom, and I thought there would be a slope on the outside. Not so! The slope is on the inside of the frame, and it does make it easier to manipulate the needle.

I'm using I Love This Cotton. If I stay inspired, there may be a baby throw made out of these little squares. Time will tell!

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About Me

I'm a retired elementary computer teacher/librarian, mother to four, grandmother to seven. I love lace. I love books. I love to collect. Now that I'm retired, I know I'll never be bored because I have so many interests, as well as the goodies I need to indulge my whims!